Apparatus for loading lamp mounts



April 18, 1961 s. BOROS APPARATUS FOR LOADING LAMP MOUNTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 ITWVGBTWTOTI S teve Bovos b5 Maw- 96M111 LL His At kovne' April 18, 1961 s. BOROS 2,980,266

APPARATUS FOR LOADING LAMP MOUNTS Filed Sept. 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITWVETTL'OTL S teve BOT'OS,

His ACEUQT'TWEH.

April 18, 1961 s. BOROS APPARATUS FOR LOADING LAMP MOUNTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 l w ww S 5 5 u v IO Unified W6 atent 2,980,266 APPARATUS FOR LOADING LAMP Steve Boros, Whitehaven, Teun., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 763,372

7 Claims. (Cl. 214--1) This invention relates to apparatus for loading lamp mounts and more particularly to apparatus for loading or transferring a lamp mount having a stem tube, exhaust tube and lead wires from a support on one piece of equipment in the lamp making process to another for subsequent processing into a finished lamp.

In the manufacture of lamps utilizing a lamp mount constructed with a stem tube, exhaust tube, filament, and lead wires, the mount is transferred to a lamp sealing machine for assembly of the enclosing lamp bulb and subsequent sealing of the bulb to the mount. In this operation it is important that the lead wires be properly positioned on the sealing machine and protected during the firing process when the lamp bulb is heat' sealed to the mount. If the lead wires are unprotected and extend at random angles they may be burned oil bythe sealing fires resulting in a'detective lamp at thisv intermediate stage of manufacture. To prevent this occurrence, the apparatus of the instant invention is designed to grasp the lamp mount and lead wires at spaced points for transfer to and loading on the lamp sealing machine. The lead wires are maintained in assembled relationship parallel to the exhaust tube as the lamp mount is loaded onto the sealing machine where the leads are protected from the sealing fires.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for transferring lamp mounts from one piece of lamp making equipment and loading them onto another in which meansis provided to maintain the lead wires and parts of a lamp mount in proper assembled relationship during the transfer and loading operations.

Another object of the inventionis to provide, in combination with 'a lamp sealing machine, loading apparatus to grip parts of the lamp mount and lead wires and to transport the mount'from a supporting surface to the,

lamp mount receiving part on the sealing machine.

Still another object is to provide improved loading apparatus for transferring lamp mounts from one machine to another in which means is provided to maintain the lead wires in close parallel relationship on op-- posite sides of the exhaust tube to prevent damage or bending of the. lead wires during the loading operation.

In brief, the loading apparatus is provided with spaced pairs of jaws for gripping both thestem tube portion of the lamp mount and the exhaust tube which extends below the stem to support the mount in upright position. In addition, a device is provided to grip the lead wires and maintain them in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the exhaust tube thereby eliminating displacement or bending of the wires during the loading operation. In one form of the invention, the device comprises an intermediate pair of jaws for holding the lead wires against the exhaust tube so that both the exhaust tube and lead wires may be positioned within the supporting tube of a sealing machine.

mount so that the exhaust tube and lead wires may be threaded into the interior of the supporting tube or spindle for subsequent manufacturing operations.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of loading apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, the apparatus being shown in operative relationship with a sealing machine of lamp making equipment;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the lamp mount loading apparatus;

Fig. 3 illustrates assembly of a lamp mount on a sealing machine for sealing the lamp bulb showing inconrect positioning of the lead wires;

Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, are schematic views showing the manner in which the pairs of jaws of the loading apparatus grip the lamp mount for correct positioning of the leads during mounting on the sealing machine;

and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of Fig, 1

showing means for positioning and guiding the lamp tube in a direction generally parallel to and on oppositesides of an exhaust tube 15 sealed to the stem tube 11. A lamp mount so constructed in the preliminary stages 'of manufacture of the electric lamp is loaded, by one means or another, onto a lamp sealing machine. A lamp hollow spindle or; The pairs of jaws; arereleased from engagement with parts of the lamp mount sequence as the spindle rises to engage the into engagement with thelampmdunt.

bulb 16 of vitreous material is placed over the mount and sealed to the mount by the sealing machine fires directed from burners 17 located around the periphery of the bulb. If desired, the stem tube 11 may be provided with a flare 18 to facilitate sealing of the stem tube with the bulb wall- In one type of lamp sealing machine, the lamp mount is held in upright position for assembly of the lampbulb by supporting the mount on a tubular member or spindle 19 with the exhaust tube 15 extending downwardly into the hollow interior portion of the spindle;

In actual manufacture, the

The type of sealing mechanism here under i'discussion is .well known in the art.

lamp mount 10 is held in position over the spindle 19.

and the spindle raised so that the lamp mount is threaded onto the spindle for subsequent sealing into the lamp bulb. There is little difliculty in placing the lamp mount 10 and spindle 19 in axial alignment sothat the ex-- -haust tube 15 is easily threaded into the interior of thehollow spindle. When it comes to the fine, ductile lead wires, there is some likelihood that theywill. not be properly threaded into the interior of the spindle. {In-' stead, the end of spindle 19 may engage the lead wire' as the spindle moves upwardly and deflect the wire 'away' from the exhaust tube 15 sothat the stem tube 11 rests;

on the spindle 19 with the lead wire 13 extending out wardly at an angle, as indicated in Fig. 3. When'this occurs the lead wire 13 is almost invariably burned off by the sealing fires since it is.not protected by being? This results in adefective i nested within the spindle.

lamp at an intermediate stage of manufacture. 'T o'over come this dilficulty, the loading apparatus 'of the'instant' invention is provided with a-device :for engaging the lead wires-on opposite sides of the exhaust tube to hold them firmly in alignment against the exhaust tube so that they may be easily and'quickly threaded into the" as the spindlemoves upwardly interior of the spindle include opposed arms 59 having notches 60 at their outer ends for engaging the lead wires and exhaust tube; they are pivoted at their inner ends to an offset portion 61 of arm 57 by means of pins 62. Arms 59 are biased toward each other to close the jaws by means of a tension spring 63 extending between the jaws. One of the arms 59 is provided with an angularly extending offset portion 64 to form, in efiect, a lever reaching to arm 57 and useful to open and close the jaws. The other arm 59 is provided with a tongue 65 extending into a recess 66 in the first arm so that as the first arm moves it operates the second through the interengaging action of the tongue 65 resting in the recess.

In addition to grasping and releasing the lead wires and exhaust tubes, jaws 21 are moved laterally out of axial alignment with the spaced jaws 20 and 22 to permit retraction of the loading apparatus once the lamp mount has been positioned on the spindle 19 of the lamp seal ing machine. To this end, a pin 67 is carried by arm 57 and extends into an elongated slot 68 formed in one end of a bell crank lever 69 pivoted by means of a pin 70 to the supporting plate 55. The other end of the bell crank lever carries an upstanding roller pin 71 adapted to engage an abutment plate 72 fastened to the outer end of piston 73 extending from a fluid pressure operated cylinder 74 mounted on arm 57. As piston 73 moves toward jaws 21, plate 72 engages roller 71 and pivots the bell crank lever 69 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, to rotate arm 57 in a counterclockwise direction so as to move the pair of jaws 21 out of alignment withqthespaced jaws 20 and 22. The direction of'mov'ement is shown by the arrow 75 in Fig. 2. Elongated arm 57, and the mechanism carried by it, rides on a spacing collar 76 surrounding pin 58 and a roller 77 fastened to the end, of plate 55. Return movement of arm 57 to its original, position upon release of fluid pressure is obtained by meansof a tension spring 78 fastened at oneend to the fixed rod 40 and at its other end to apin 79'carried by a bracket 80 fastened to arm 57. e

In addition to pivoting jaws 21 out of alignment with spaced jaws 20 and 22, the fluid pressure cylinder 74 also operates to open the intermediate pairs of jaws 21 by a mechanism which includes a plunger 81 carried in a sleeve 82 extending from the plate 72. One end of plunger 81 is provided with a curved surface 83 which rides against the side of lever 64 as the plunger is moved outwardly to rock lever 64 and open the jaws 21. A spring- 84 islocated in sleeve 82and-is compressed be: tween the sleeve and plunger 81 to provide a lost motion connection and cushioning efict when pressure cylinder 74 is .operated- Plunger 81 rides at all times against lever 64 byaction of spring 84. means that as pressure cylinder 74 isactuated to move the piston 73 toward jaws 21,.spring 84 presses against plunger 81 with suflicient force to move lever 64 to open the jaws 21'. Continued movement of piston 73 and plate 72 compresses spring 84 to provide a lost motion connection so that as the plate moves against pin 71 arm 57 is rotated tomove jaws 21; out of alignment with jaws 20. and 22. As previouly described, the loading apparatus not only grips, the lamp mount to hold. all parts in assembled rela-.

,tionship but it operatesto transfer av lamp mount from the supporting station A to; the workstation B, where it isheld in axial alignment with the hollow spindle 19 of the lamp's ealing machine. spindle 19 moves upward lythe pairs ofjaws gripp l moimt m n, sequence to position the mount onthe spindle with the exhaust tube and lead wires located within the interior of the spindle.

A suitable mechanism to accomplish thesepurposes ,in

accordance with one forrnof the i 'nvenu'onis illustrated around the periphery of the turret so that the spindles may be brought, one after the other, to work stationB to receive lamp mounts. Slide bearings 86 permit spindles 19 to be moved upwardly away from the turret plate 86 for engaging and receiving a lamp mount. Thereafter, a lamp bulb is placed over the mount and sealed to the lamp flare by burners in a manner well understood in the .art. As the spindles 19 are indexed in a step-by-step movement to work station B, they are raised into lamp mount receiving position by a push rod 87 operated by a lever 88 pivoted to shaft 89. One end of lever 88 is provided with an adjustment screw 90 which bears against the lower end of push rod 87 and the other end is connected to a tie rod 91 extending between lever 88 and a cam lever 92 pivoted on shaft 93. Cam lever 92 is provided with a roller cam 94 which operates in a cam groove 95 cut into a cam 96 fastened to shaft 97. Shaft 97 is rotated in synchronism with the turret mechanism of the lamp sealing machine.

To move the three pairs of jaws gripping a lamp mount from support station A to work station B over spindle 19, a tie block 98 extends between the two spaced rods 35 and slides on supporting tube 32 to advance rods 35, the supporting base 34, and jaws toward the spindle. Tie block 98 is connected by means of an adjustable link 99 to a bell crank lever 100 pivoted on shaft 101 supported on part of thelframe 102 of the lamp sealing machine. A tie rod 103 connects the other end of the bell crank lever to a cam follower lever 104 pivoted to shaft 105. A cam roller 106 is fastened to lever 104 and rides in a cam groove 107 out into the side wall of cam 108 fastened to shaft 97. The arrangement is such that as cam follower lever 104 is raised bell crank lever 100 is pivoted in a clockwise direction to advance tie block 98 and the sliding rods 35 toward'the spindle.

To operate the spaced jaws 20 and 22 to release a lamp mount, once the jaws are in alignment with the spindle 19, actuating rod 45 is driven to move the stepped block 44 into engagement first with the abutment plates 41 to open the lower jaws 20 and then with abutment plates 51 to open'the upper jaws. Actuating rod 45is moved with respect to the tie rods 35 by means of a pair of levers 109 and 110 fastened to a pivot shaft 111 carried by tie block 98. A slot 112 in the end of lever 109 is -A conven'tional. lamp sealing machine illQ UQesa rotat.

. able-turret 85,. part of which isgshown by pFig.gl and which carries. a; p ura t f the 1 9110?! spindl s:

engaged by a pin 113 fastened to actuating rod 45 the pin extending through an elongated slot 114 in supporting tube 32. As rods 35 are moved to advance the jaw mechanism by movement of tie block 98, rod 45 will follow with its attached pin 1 13 moving freely in slot 114. Lever 11 0is provided with a cam roller 115 riding in cam slot 116 formed in a cam plate 117. Again, as the tie block 98 and lever "110 are moved to 'the right in the showing in Fig. 1,1the cam' roller 115 moves freely in slot 116. However, to eifect further motion of actuating rod 45 with respect to rods 35, the cam plate 117 is moved downwardly thereby pivoting the two levers 109 and 110- in dclockwise direction to further advance actuating rod 45 so that the stepped block-44- operates the jaws 20 and 22; Up and down movement of cam plate 117 is obtained by mounting it on a rod 118 sliding in a sleeve 119 carried by the aforementioned bedplate 102. Rod 118is connected to an adjustable tie rod 120 extending toacam follower lever 121 pivoted on the shaft 93. A cam roller rides in a groove123 cut into the side of a cam 124 fastened to shaft 97. As cam 124 rotates the cam plate 11 7 will be moved up and down in timed sequence to the operation of the sealing mechanism. l

To operate fluid pressure cylinder'74, and thereby open and close the intermediate jaws 21, a fluid pressure operating valve 125. (Fig. 1) is connected to apply fluid pressureto oppositesidesof thepiston 73-of cylinder 74; valve 125. is controlled by rotation of a cam126 fastened to shaft 97.,;1A cam follqwerjyvheell 12 7 is, fastenedto oneend of a cam follower lever 128the otherpnd-of the e tr a ies .p q d, .9 sha t: 1.0

122 is fastened to lever 121 and fa s-3511a 21a enga ement when; was 5f am 126. Anadjustable. tie. rod 1 30 connects lever12 8 to fluid'controlvalve 125 so thatfluitl pressure is applied toon'e side 'or the other ot cylinder 74 to actuate the pis ton 73;. When roller 12 7 is in engagement with cam sur-. face "131' piston 73; is in. retracted position permitting jaws 2-1 to close; when 'roller 27*is engagecl 'by the 'en large'ci cain/surfaee 132 fluid pressure isapplied to cylinder 74 to movethe piston to open the jaws and swing them out of alignment with theother jaws and spindle in the a manner already described.

At .the start of a work cycleinvolvingi transfer of a lamp mount from thesupport station A to the work station B and loading of the mount on the spindle of alamp sealing machine,- the loading; apparatus is in the position shown by Fig.1 withthe three pairs of'jaws grippihga lamp mount at'support stationA and with the loading apparatus in retracted position away ;from,the lamp sealing." machine. As, shaft 97' lrlotates counterclockwise in .timed seqt'l'ence with the operation ofthe lamp sealin'g'machine,

level- 104 is raised by the action of 'cam 108. to rotate bell cranklever 101'counterclockwise and thereby move tie block'98, supporting rodsf35, base 34 and the sets of jaws 20,121 and22icarryi'ngalamp mount to the right so "that the lamp mount is moved to work station B, If the lamp sealing machine is of the conventional turret type the direction of movement is radially to the direction of rotation of the turret; otherwise, the direction of.'movement is simply that to bringa lamp mount into a position. for subsequent working. a

f .During the time of advance of the lamp mount and jaws,-one of-the' spindles 19 is being rotated onthe turret plate 85 intouposition at work station B; Cam 95 on shaft 97'hasnow reached the point Where it begins 'tolowerlever'92 to thereby start elevation of spindle 19.

thehollow spindle rises, it extends over the lower end of exhaust tube 15. By the time spindle 1,9 approaches the lower pair of jaws 20, however; cam'124' has rotated to. a position such that lever 121 is pulled; downwardly lowering cam-plate 117 and pivoting levers 109.,and; 116 clockwise to advance actuating rod 45 so thatithe lower-face 46 of block 44 (Fig. 2) engages the abutment platesi41 to open the lower pair of jaws 20.

l Once Lpast jaws ZtL spindle 19 continues its upward travel towards the intermediate jaws 21'.v Beforereaching them,

- however; lever 123 is elevated bythe enlarged cam surface 132 to actuate the fluid 'controlva1v'ef 125 to' admit fluid pressure to cylinder/7'4 therebyf moving piston 73 to the'rig-ht, in the showing of Fig.'2=. I Movement ofpisw ton 73rcfauses plunger {51 tooperate lever arm 641there-' by, openingsthe intermediate paireof jaws 21'to' release the lead wires within tbe spindle-. =Simultaneously,. butf with. some slight ,delay occasione'dby the lost motion con-.

I nection of spring 84, further -movernentofpistoh $73 'causes plate 72 to engage'pin ,7:1-and rotate arml57 to move the jaws 21 laterally in a direction-shownby. arrow 75, outof alignment with-the remaining 'jaws'andlamp mount. As illustrated in *Fig'. 6, thisper'mits' thejspindle v t to move upwardly aroundthe leadiwires and exhaust tube, the intermediatejaws21 havingperforined their function of maintaining; the leadjwires int-alignment on op-i posite'sides ofjthelexhaust tube fforr threading into the hollow,1spindle. iIn;;the meantime, and as lispindle 19' a imoves past. the open-jaws 21, iactuatingmod tsshas' been; 1 moved further :by lowering .of cam-plate 117 "to bring the; secondgabutinent fac -531st block into. en age ment with the actuating:platesiil'itoopeii the'upper j "jaws :22 and.threby' releaseithe;lamp inount nt 0 the uppefendfofspindle19L i EQ'nce-the lampymonntrs'located onitliaspmdle ofl the V I arr-sagas r 7 115 slides easily in theexhau rtube.

g i sealing th. lamp savsaragegerneap upwa rdly to; repel of "parts or misfunc 'ning" openduring rem-climates jaws because cam plate 117 remainsin itslowermostfposition' so as to'maintain actuating rod. 45. and the stepped block .44 advanced against the actuating plates 41 and151. There is no relatiye movement between support rodsf35fand actuat ing rod 45 during retract on of the parts because roller the elongated track 116 of cam plate 117;. As jaws Zl) and 22 return to initial position they pass easily around the stem tube 11 and exhaust tube l of the next succeeding'lamp' mount which was'advanced to, the support station A by the feeding mecHanism'Z S during the time interval when the jaws were in advanced position'ove'r spindle'19. .Inasmuchas intermediate jaws 21 extend at f'ght a'jglesto jaws and22; these jaws would'interfere with the. advancing and retractingmoyement of the loading apparatus by hitting against the exhaust' tube of the-lamp mount werefit not for thetact that they are moved laterallyont: of'alignmentwith the jaws 20 and 22 during retraction ofthe jaws. I

20 As soon as the jaws have returned to initial PQl ition to grasp 'thei'n'ext succeeding'lamp mount, cam 126 actuates fluid control valve 125 so that fluid pressure sapplied to cylinder, 74 to retract piston 73; As piston 73 and its attached plate 72 are retracted the bell crank I'ev'er69 is rotatedcounterclockwise, as shown in Fi 2, by the-tension in spring 78 toreturn arm 57 to initial position such that the open jaws 21' will now be in axial alignment with the" upper, and lower, jaws around the exhaust tube and lead wires ofithe, lamp'mount. This initial retraction of plate 7. d0es not immediately close jaws 21 becailse spring 84 maintains the: plunger 81 extended tomaintain'the jaws in' open positionuntil the compressive stresses inpring 84am reduced to. a point i/here they are overcome bythe actionofspring 63 in closing the jaws. Iawsf21 then close around the mount. ,As soon astheupper andlower jaws are returned'to initial position around the next succeeding lamp mount,

earn 124 elevates the 1 cam plate 117 f thereby moving levels 109 and 110 counterclockwise-to retraetthe actu ating'rod releasing the stepped block 44 fromvengagement with the actuatmg plates 41;and 51permitting the jaws 20 and 22: to close around the lamp exhaust tube and stem tube, respectively. Once th'efloadingl apparatus isa'ctuated, spindle19 carrying me lamp mount is indexed tothe next succeeding work station onthe lamp sealing machine and a" new spindleis brought into posi- "tionfor'receiving-the next lamp'mount;

. With the parallel orientation. of the series; of lamp 'mo'untsbyth the. lead jwir.

de .bar.28, as shown inifFigs. 1 ands,

parallel relationshipon opposite sides ofthe exhaust tube. S ce j ws .2 5; a l k is paral l. to t uid M 28 heycannot be us d-to grip the leadwires whichfwould float, freely in the spa etwieenthejawsclamped around lamlima i qfissfiq eth i h i ib a nsio 'd age 'to' the leadfwireslwhich extend from-the jlamp mountr re ven; i

g in t the spindle is that an w ll ex end d w w n a I V i On thei other hand; by disposing .the i intermediate; set.of-'jaws 21,at right anglcsito jaws 20, the jaws121are injposition to engage the vlead wires and hold ,thenrin recesses in the j'aw's against the egrhirust in such 1 thei i bscqn n q oh' lb onto the lamp nioiints," Another the spindle. moves 7 lamp spindle will engage the bevelled surfaces 134 (Fig. 2) formed on each jaw face so as to spread the jaws against the actions of their closing springs as the spindle moves upwardly between the jaws.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

1. Apparatus for loading lamp mounts having a stem tube, an exhaust tube and lead wires comprising, in combination, afirst pair of jaws for gripping the exhaust tube, a second pair of jaws in vertical alignment with said first pair for gripping the lead wires and exhaust tube to hold the lead wires in parallel relationship against the exhaust tube, a third pair of jaws for gripping the stem tube, a hollow member for supporting the lamp mount, means for moving the hollow member toward said pairs of jaws, and means to open the pairs of jaws in sequence to position the lamp mount on the hollow member with the exhaust tube and leads located within the interior of the hollow member as the member passes between the open jaws.

2. Apparatus for removing lamp mounts having a stem tube, an exhaust tube and lead wires from a support comprising, in combination, a base structure, a first pair of jaws for gripping the exhaust tube, a second pair of jaws for gripping the lead wires and exhaust tube to hold the lead wires in parallel relationship against the exhaust tube, a third pair of jaws for gripping the stem tube, a hollow spindle adapted to support the lamp mount, means supporting said three pairs of jaws in vertical alignment on said base structure and for moving them into axial alignment with'said spindle, means for moving said hollow spindle toward said pairs of jaws,

'means to open said first pair of jaws upon initial movement of said hollow spindle to position the end of the exhaust tube within the interior of the spindle, means to open said second pair of jaws upon continued movement of said spindle to position the lead wires within the spindle and simultaneously move said second pair of jaws out of alignment with the spindle, and means to open said third pair of jaws when said hollow spindle approaches said pair to release the stem tube onto the end of the hollow spindle.

3. A lamp making machine for removing lamp mounts having a stem tube, an exhaust tube and lead wires from a support comprising, in combination, a base structure, a pair of jaws for gripping the exhaust tube, a second pair of jaws for gripping the lead wires and exhaust tube to hold the lead wires in parallel relationship against the exhaust tube, a third pair of jaws for gripping the stem tube, a rotary turret includinga plurality of hollow spindles for receiving lamp mounts, means supporting said three pairs of jaws in vertical spaced alignment on said base structure, means for rotating said turret to bring one of said spindles to a work station and simultaneously advance said base in a path radially of the turret to bring said jaws and the lamp mount from the support into axial alignment with said one spindle, means on said turret to move said spindle toward said pairs of jaws along the axial path of alignment, means to' open said first pair of jaws upon initial movement of said hollow spindle to release the end of the exhaust tube within the interior of the spindle, means to open said second pair of jaws as thelead wires enter the interiorof the spindle, means to open said third pair of jaws to release the stem tube onto the end of the hollow spindle, and means to retract the said base along said radial path to move the open jaws out of alignment with the'spindle and return them to initial position togrip the succeeding lamp mount on the support.

4. A lamp making machine for removing lamp mounts having a stem tube,'an exhaust tube and lead wires from a support comprising, in combination, a base structure, a first pair of jaws for gripping the exhaust tube, a second pair of jaws for gripping the lead wires and exhaust tube, and a third pair of jaws for gripping the stem tube, a movable apparatus including a plurality of hollow spindles for receivinglamp mounts, means supporting said three pairs of jaws in vertical spaced alignment on, said base structure, means for moving said apparatus to bring one of said spindles to a work station and simultaneously advance said base along a path to bring said jaws and the lamp mount from the support into axial alignment with the spindle, means on said apparatus to move said spindle toward said pairs of jaws along the axial path of alignment, means to open said first pair of jaws upon initial movement of said hollow spindle to release the end of the exhaust tube into the interior of the hollow spindle, means to open said second pair of jaws to release the lead wires into the interior of the spindle, and means to open said third pair of jaws to release the stem tube onto the end of the hollow spindle.

5. In apparatus for transferring lamp mounts having a stem tube, an exhaust tube and lead wires from a support onto a hollow spindle, the combination of a base, a first pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said base for gripping the exhaust tube with the open ends of the jaws facing the spindle, an arm pivotally mounted for rotation on said base, a second pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said arm in vertical alignment with said first pair for gripping the lead wires to position them in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the exhaust tube, a third pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said base in vertical alignment with said first and second pairs for gripping the stem tube with the open ends of the jaws facing the spindle, a hollow spindle for receiving a lamp mount, means to advance said base to remove a gripped lamp mount from the support and bring the mount and pairs of jaws into axial alignment with the hollow spindle, means to move said spindle toward said jaws, means to open the pairs of jaws in sequence upon movement of the spindle to position the lamp mount on the spindle with the exhaust tube and lead wires located within the interior of the hollow spindle means to rotate said arm to move said second pair of jaws out of alignment with the lamp mount and spindle, and means to return said base to initial position to retract saidfirst and third pairs of jaws from alignment with the lamp mount and spindle so that the jaws are in position to grip the next succeeding lamp mount on the support.

6. In apparatus for transferring lamp mounts having astem tube, an exhaust tube and lead wires from a support onto a hollow spindle, the combination of a base, a first pair of jaws for gripping the exhaust tube, means including a first abutment for pivotally mounting said jaws on said base, an arm pivotally mounted for rotation on said base, a second pair of jaws in vertical alignment with said first pair pivotally mounted on said arm for gripping the lead wires to position them in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the exhaust tube, a third pair of jaws in vertical alignment with said first and second pairs for gripping the stem tube, means including a second abutment for pivotally mounting said third pair of jaws on said base, means to advance said base to re move a gripped lamp mount from the supportand bring the mount and pairs of jaws into axial alignment with the hollow spindle, a stepped element carried by said base, means to move said stepped element into engagement with said abutments in sequence to pivotsaid jaws to release the lamp mount onrthe spindle, and means to pivot said second pair of jaws to release the lead wires 'and simultaneously rotate said arm on the base to move said second pair of jaws out of alignment with the lamp.

' mount. a

7. In apparatus for loading lamp mounts, the com- T1 7 for pivotallyr mounting said pairs of iaws on said base, an arm pivotally mounted for movement on said base,

' a third pair of jaws 'piv'o tally' mounted ofn said'arm in vertical alignment with 'said' spaced pairs of jaws for gripping a lamp moun'gsaid third pair of jaws being disposed between said spaced pairs of jaws, a stepped ele- ,ment carried by' said base, means'to move'sa'id stepped elementrinto engagement with the spaced abutments to pivot the jaws and open them in sequence to release the lamp mount, a reciprocating membencarried bysaid arm, means to move said reciprocating member into en-' gagement with the third-pair of jaws to 'ormn'the jaws to release the lamp mounnyand means actuated by said reciprocating member 'to piyotsaid afnlttd move said third pair of jaws away from the spacedpairsof jaws. j References Cited in'thefi ileio'f m s areag; 7

V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,329,599 'Flaws I V V ;-S ept. 1114, 1943 10 2,605,59Q Young et aL Aug. '5, 1952 

